Japan chart: SoulCalibur 5 struggles, Dragon Age 2 makes top 10

February 9th, 2012, 00:16 Posted By: wraggster

SoulCalibur 5 has entered the weekly Japanese software chart at number two, but sales are well below its predecessor.The latest entry in Namco's beat 'em up series sold a modest 34,328 copies on PlayStation 3 in its first week on shelves, compared to the 74,607 SoulCalibur 4 managed back in 2008.It was beaten to the top spot by last week's number two, Resident Evil: Revelations. Capcom's 3DS adventure saw sales drop 70 per cent week-on-week to 43,575, but that was still enough to take the chart crown.Elsewhere in the top 10, re-tooled PS3 racer Gran Turismo 5 Spec II entered at nine and BioWare RPG Dragon Age 2 debuted at 10.Here's the full chart, courtesy of NeoGAF:

1. Resident Evil: Revelations (Capcom, 3DS): 43,575 (Life to date: 190,134)
2. SoulCalibur 5 (Namco Bandai, PS3): 34,328 - NEW
3. PhotoKano (Kadokawa Games, PSP): 34,095 - NEW
4. Ragnarok Odyssey (GungHo Online Entertainment, Vita): 33,496 - NEW
5. Armored Core 5 (From Software, PS3): 30,775 (194,681)
6. Mario Kart 7 (Nintendo, 3DS): 26,791 (1,460,749)
7. Monster Hunter 3G (Capcom, 3DS): 24,128 (1,211,026)
8. Super Mario 3D Land (Nintendo, 3DS): 22,817 (1,311,312)
9. Gran Turismo 5 Spec II (Sony Computer Entertainment, PS3): 21,416 - NEW
10. Dragon Age 2 (Spike, PS3): 19,928 - NEW
11. Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure (Sega, 3DS): 9511 (56,037)
12. Monster Hunter Frontier Online: Forward .3 Premium Package (Capcom, Xbox 360): 9047 -NEW
13. Inazuma Eleven Go: Shine/Dark (Level 5, 3DS): 8960 (379,764)
14. Tales of Innocence R (Bandai Namco Games, Vita): 8397 (63,250)
15. Just Dance Wii (Nintendo, Wii): 7851 (527.050)
16. Soul Calibur 5 (Namco Bandai Games, Xbox 360): 7679 - NEW
17. Monster Hunter Freedom 3 - PSP the Best (Capcom, PSP): 6875 (185,853)
18. Wii Sports Resort with Remote Plus (Nintendo, Wii): 5635 (862,118)
19. Final Fantasy 13-2 (Square Enix, PS3): 5336 (774,415)
20. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo, Wii): 5068 (3,500,168)

It was business as usual over on the hardware chart, with 3DS continuing to dominate. It sold 75,018 units, down from 84,789 last week.PlayStation 3 was a distant second, with flat sales of 23,293, while Vita holds on to third. Sony's handheld sold 17,141 units, falling from 18,942.The full field lined up as follows:

1. 3DS: 75,018 (Last week: 84,789)
2. PlayStation 3: 23,293 (22,924)
3. PS Vita: 17,141 (18,942)
4. PSP: 15,847 (16,008)
5. Wii: 8814 (10,396)
6. DS: 1759 (1918)
7. Xbox 360: 1382 (1235)
8. PlayStation 2: 481 (713)

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Logitech Touch Mouse M600 mouse lets you swipe and scroll sans buttons for $69

February 8th, 2012, 23:55 Posted By: wraggster

Is your current wireless mouse not up to snuff? If that's the case, you may want to take a gander at theLogitech Touch Mouse M600 that lets you do your navigating via a touch surface instead of those ol' clicky buttons. The peripheral is outfitted with the company's Flow Scroll software that touts a similar feel to scrolling on your touchscreen smartphone of choice. From wherever your fingers contact the top of the mouse, you can scroll and swipe in order to keep powering through those Photoshop files. The M600 works just as well for lefties once click areas are reconfigured with Logitech's SetPoint software. If you're thinking about taking the leap, look at the details in the PR below and get ready to shell out $69.99 later this month.

http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/08/l...ps-this-month/

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UK gaming café plans nationwide expansion

February 8th, 2012, 23:37 Posted By: wraggster

Cornwall-based video games café Loading wants to open new bars in London.
The outlet – which has produced a host of games-related drinks and held several club nights in its two years since starting up – is now seeking investors to help it grow across the UK.
“This investment would allow me to spend on trade shows and events which I can’t do at present as my money is stretched,” says Loading founder James Dance.
“While I currently have a small team that helps out, I’m still being funded by myself, so the ability to hire other people to work on Loading could really see it expand.
“The second long-term plan is to get the funding to be able to do what we do, but place it where the bulk of the business is – London. I know a few people are looking at something along those lines, but nobody bar ourselves seem to have the blend of industry, branding and experience.”
Loading has worked with several publishers over the past year, including EA, Capcom, THQ and Square Enix. It has produced and sold several unique drinks such as the ‘Deus Ex on the Beach’ and the ‘Resident Evil G and T Virus’.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/uk-ga...pansion/090941

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Should Next-Gen Game Consoles Be Upgradeable?

February 8th, 2012, 23:30 Posted By: wraggster

Historically, console add-ons that boosted the performance of the primary unit haven't done well. Any attempt to upgrade a system's core performance risks bifurcating the user base and increases work developers must do to ensure that a game runs smoothly on both original and upgraded systems. The other reason is that a number of games rely on very specific hardware characteristics to ensure proper operation. In a PC, swapping a CPU with 256K of L2 for a chip with 512K of L2 is a non-issue assuming proper platform support. Existing software will automatically take advantage of the additional cache. The Xbox 360, on the other hand, allows programmers to lock specific cache blocks and use them for storing data from particular threads. In that case, expanding the amount of L2 cache risks breaking previous games because it changes the range of available cache addresses. The other side of the upgrade argument is that the Xbox 360 has been upgraded more effectively than any previous console; current high-end versions ship with more than 10x the storage of the original, as well as support for HDMI and integrated WiFi. It would also forestall the decline in comparative image quality between console and PC platforms.
http://games.slashdot.org/story/12/0...be-upgradeable

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Two-thirds of handheld owners also own iOS device

February 8th, 2012, 23:28 Posted By: wraggster

New numbers suggest Mobile is cutting into handheld gaming.

The latest gaming trends from Neilsen lend fresh support to the theory that mobile gaming is cutting into territory once dominated by handheld systems.
"66% of housholds with kids that own a DS, PSP, or 3DS also have an iOS device in the home," Neilsen said via twitter.

But another tweet pointed to clearer skies, saying: "Increased gaming time suggests cross-platform play can be additive to, not just cannibalistic of, existing gameplay hours."
In addition, nearly half of all kids aged 6-12 game on a Nintendo DS, "an astonishing reach".
Android is more popular among adults aged 25-34, while iOS is more evenly distributed across all age groups.

http://www.develop-online.net/news/3...own-iOS-device

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Hasbro reinvents Lazer Tag for the smartphone generation, lets you live out your Doom

February 8th, 2012, 01:23 Posted By: wraggster

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TIGA: 71% of UK startups focused on digital distribution

February 7th, 2012, 00:12 Posted By: wraggster

<CENTER style="WIDOWS: 2; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; FONT: 14px/22px 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; WHITE-SPACE: normal; ORPHANS: 2; LETTER-SPACING: normal; COLOR: rgb(51,51,51); WORD-SPACING: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"></CENTER>Digital distribution is the future in the UK -- for the sake of a lot of jobs, it had better be. UK game industry trade organization TIGA issued a new census report today, revealing a heavy focus on downloadable or social games.

71% of UK game company startups between 2008 and 2011 are "focused exclusively on network gaming," the report indicates. Taking all of the UK industry in consideration (not just new companies), 67% work on digitally distributed games.

"For too long developers have laboured under the traditional 'give your IP away, never see royalties' model," said TIGA Self-Publishing Committee Patrick O'Luanaigh. "So TIGA strongly supports the trend towards online gaming and self-publishing. Online gaming can deliver greater company stability and revenue sustainability for studios. This is because studios can circumvent traditional publisher business models and build relationships directly with customers. Network gaming businesses can create original games, retain their IP and attain greater financial stability."

We suspect this boost in digital gaming involves two major factors: the rise of iOS and Android games, and the end of large UK game companies like Bizarre Creations.

http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/ti...-distribution/

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Mad Catz Cyborg M.M.O. 7 gaming mouse hands-on

February 7th, 2012, 00:06 Posted By: wraggster

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Final Fantasy XIII-2 topples FIFA

February 6th, 2012, 23:51 Posted By: wraggster

FIFA 12 has finally been knocked off the top of the UK software chart by Japanese RPG Final Fantasy XIII-2.

In fact the new entry heralded a Japanese invasion of the charts, with fellow new releases Metal Gear Solid HD Collection debuting at 2, and Soulcalibur V arriving at 5.

Battlefield 3 moved up to third place from 5, with FIFA 12 dropping to 4. Last week's big new entry, Resident Evil: Revelations, fell from 6 to 19.

Last Week This Week Title
New entry 1 Final Fantasy XIII-2
New entry 2 Metal Gear Solid HD Collection
5 3 Battlefield 3
1 4 FIFA 12
New entry 5 Soulcalibur V
9 6 Assassin's Creed: Revelations
2 7 Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
3 8 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
4 9 Just Dance 3
8 10 Saints Row: The Third
7 11 Zumba Fitness
11 12 Rage
10 13 Zumba Fitness 2
14 14 Football Manager 2012
Re-entry 15 Need For Speed: The Run
16 16 Super Mario 3D Land
13 17 Mario Kart 7
12 18 Rayman Origins
6 19 Resident Evil: Revelations
19 20 Cars 2

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...2-topples-fifa

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Is Britain still great for games?

February 6th, 2012, 23:44 Posted By: wraggster

Our lead stories this week are on face value about very contrasting companies. But together they spell out a dismal message about what the UK market is offering British games firms.
So what does the ailing boxed game retailer have in common with the small publisher finding an audience on the Japanese PSN? It’s this: The games market in the UK is now such a struggle it’s forcing many to run away and find other oil wells to tap into.
Sometimes that’s not just figuratively – HMV focusing its efforts on technology or System 3 cracking Japan is in the same vein as Rising Star Games going to America and Mind Candy turning Moshi Monsters into a phenomenon through merchandise, not more software. What’s driving these firms to look further afield? Maybe it’s diversification, or other bollocksy buzzwords that only work to describe something after it’s happened.
Here’s hoping it’s not just because they think the local market is in the gutter – because there’s more to this market than just a Chart-Track statistics telling us that games were worth ‘just’ £1.42bn in 2011.
And next week, I am going to bloody prove it.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/opini...r-games/090779

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Raspberry Pi GPU doubles iPhone 4S performance

February 4th, 2012, 23:00 Posted By: wraggster

Raspberry Pi - the $25 credit-card sized computer - features an advanced graphics core that outperforms the GPU in iPhone 4S by a factor of two to one "across a range of content", according to claims made by the manufacturer in a new Digital Foundry interview published today on GamesIndustry.biz.Discussing the graphical potential of the Broadcom BCM2835 chipset at the heart of the device, executive director Eben Upton describes how it compares to the graphics capabilities of the most popular mobile devices."I was on the team that designed the graphics core, so I'm a little biased here, but I genuinely believe we have the best mobile GPU team in the world at Broadcom in Cambridge," Upton says, when asked to confirm rumours that Raspberry Pi comprehensively outperforms NVIDIA's Tegra 2."What's really striking is how badly Tegra 2 performs relative even to simple APs using licensed Imagination Technologies (TI and Apple) or ARM Mali (Samsung) graphics. To summarise, BCM2835 has a tile mode architecture - so it kills immediate-mode devices like Tegra on fill-rate - and we've chosen to configure it with a very large amount of shader performance, so it does very well on compute-intensive benchmarks, and should double iPhone 4S performance across a range of content."Broadcom's approach with the BCM2385 chip is somewhat different in other respects though - while its graphics core is state-of-the-art, its main CPU is a single core 700MHz ARM11: somewhat off the pace compared to high-end mobile devices, but still extremely powerful for a $25 computer. The Raspberry Pi Foundation hopes that the potential and flexibility of the device will bring about a new wave of homebrew coders akin to the programming revolution in the 80s spearheaded by machines like the BBC Micro, Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum.As the Raspberry Pi is based on an existing mobile part currently being deployed in theRoku2 video streaming player, the device should find favour with media enthusiasts too. Already, the device has been demonstrated running popular open source front-end XBMC. The Broadcom chipset features hardware acceleration that allows for h.264 content at 1080p Blu-ray quality to decode at 30 frames per second - a wonderful 'extra' for a device mostly aimed at boosting interest in programming."All the media features are to some extent a bonus, but they've been a part of our thinking ever since I joined Broadcom five years ago (having spent a year trying to build a $25 PC out of openly-available parts like Atmel microcontrollers)," Eben Upton explains."I think there's a lot to be said for a device which is useful for something other than programming. The media features provide a 'hook' to draw people to the platform; once we have them hooked, we can trick them into becoming programmers!"Raspberry Pi will be available in Model A and Model B versions priced at $25 and $35 respectively - the more expensive version features 256MB RAM up against the 128MB of the Model A with the added bonus of an in-built Ethernet port. The first batch of 10,000 units is currently in production and should be on sale shortly.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/di...orms-iphone-4s

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Games becomes second-fastest growing TV ad sector

February 4th, 2012, 18:19 Posted By: wraggster

Video games has become the second fastest growing TV advertising market in the UK, behind office equipment.
We saw last week that games and consoles TV advertising had kicked off 2012 brightly. Growth in the market has accelerated to 62 per cent year-on-year.
It also puts it well ahead of total TV advertising, which is currently experiencing a slight decline of one per cent. Ubisoft’s Just Dance 3 campaign has been responsible for a large proportion of the growth, achieving 118 individual TVRs year-to-date. This means it’s the largest campaign of 2012 thus far with a 13 per cent share of voice.
Nintendo’s campaign for the 3DS is the only other campaign to break the 100-TVR barrier. With 108 TVRs, this campaign has a 12 per cent share of voice for the year-to-date.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/games...-sector/090725

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You Will Never Kill Piracy

February 4th, 2012, 18:11 Posted By: wraggster

This is perhaps the best op-ed I've read about the whole SOPA/PIPA controversy. The author challenges Hollywood to re-think their entire business model. It will undoubtedly fall on deaf ears, for now. But sooner or later, they will have no choice but to adapt. From the article: 'Now that the SOPA and PIPA fights have died down, and Hollywood prepares their next salvo against internet freedom with ACTA and PCIP, it's worth pausing to consider how the war on piracy could actually be won. It can't, is the short answer, and one these companies do not want to hear as they put their fingers in their ears and start yelling.'"

http://yro.slashdot.org/story/12/02/...er-kill-piracy

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Thanks to DRM, Some Ubisoft Games Won't Work Next Week

February 3rd, 2012, 23:49 Posted By: wraggster

Several of Ubisoft's biggest titles won't be playable as of next week thanks to a server move by the publisher and the restrictive DRM that was used in their development. This isn't just multiplayer either. Because Ubisoft thought it would be a smart plan to use always on DRM for even the single player portion of games like Assassin's Creed, even the single player portion of that title won't be playable during the server move. Some of the other games affected by this move will be Tom Clancy's HAWX 2, Might & Magic: Heroes 6 and The Settlers 7. The Mac games that will be broken during this period are Assassin's Creed, Splinter Cell Conviction and The Settlers. This move was announced this week as part of a community letter, with Ubisoft describing how the data servers for many of the publisher's online services would be migrated from third party facilities to a new location starting on the 7th February. The publisher didn't reveal how long the transfer would take

http://games.slashdot.org/story/12/0...work-next-week

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Joypad News opens for Buisness

February 3rd, 2012, 12:49 Posted By: wraggster

On our ongoing work to improve DCEmu and bring back the network to full status, we have reopened our Joypad Site, Joypad News focuses on news regarding Joypads, controllers and gaming accessories, the site has over 700 news articles and counting and has been going since 2008.

Check out joypad news here --> http://joypad-news.dcemu.co.uk/

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Lender support throws GAME a lifeline

February 2nd, 2012, 21:58 Posted By: wraggster

Hours of speculation about GAME's survival are hopefully over as the retailer has brokered a new deal with its lenders.
The Board of GAME Group this evening announced it has 'concluded discussions with its lending syndicate and agreed revised terms for its facilities'.
While GAME has agreed to 'operate within lower limits of its existing facilities than was previously available', the new arrangement around its finances means the firm will continue to trade.
The news comes after days of unofficial reports that said the retailer was facing problems with credit insurance covering new stock moving into stores and paying for new releases.
It was forced into having to issue a statement this morning responding to the speculation.
Most importantly, the renewed support from its stakeholders and lenders means the Board is confident GAME will meet its covenant tests for the period to 31 January 2012 when tested on 27 February 2012.
At the start of the year the group had confessed it may not meet the tests.
The Board now expects that the loss before tax and non recurring items will be around £18m for the year to 31 January 2012 - a figure actually lower than analysts had been speculating.
Ian Shepherd, CEO of GAME said "We're pleased to reach agreement with our lenders, but should be under no illusions about the challenges in our market or the hard work that is required to deliver our strategic plan."
As part of the new deal with its lenders, GAME has agreed to provide an updated strategic plan - which this time its lenders will get a say in approving.
The plan will cover all aspects of the business's activities and strategy, including its overseas operations, a move it hinted at this morning.
GAME has 665 stores internationally (573 in continental Europe, and 92 in Australia), plus 610 in the UK and Ireland.
A year ago, the firm laid out a plan to embrace digital content in-store and be a more proactive specialist retailer. But a downward turn in the overall games market for boxed games in the UK has dampened the impact of CEO Ian Shepherd's vision for the chain.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/lende...ifeline/090627

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The true speed at which games prices erode

February 2nd, 2012, 19:43 Posted By: wraggster

The average price of a boxed video game falls by almost a quarter after just 30 days on sale.
New retail research – which includes pricing data from over 50 retailers – shows that games prices dropped 23.5 per cent after 30 days, 30.8 per cent after 60 days, and 39 per cent after 90 days on sale. This data looks at the 25 best-selling Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii games released in the past six months.
This means that after three months on sale, the average boxed game loses almost half its original price.

However, there were some products that bucked the trend. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and FIFA 12 were the only games that had an average price higher than £30 after two months on sale.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/the-t...s-erode/090615

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Oklahoma proposes new games tax

February 2nd, 2012, 19:26 Posted By: wraggster

Oklahoma State Representative William Fourkiller has introduced a bill to introduce extra taxes on games rated teen or higher.
Bill HB 2696 wants a 1 per cent rise in tax on games rated by the ESRB as Teen, Mature or Adults Only. According the bill, that money would then go towards programmes combatting bullying and obesity in children.
The bill describes the situation as an emergency.
"It being immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety, an emergency is hereby declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and be in full force from and after its passage and approval."
If passed, HB 2696 would come into effect July 1.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...-new-games-tax

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Out There: Do we need more stealth games?

February 1st, 2012, 21:55 Posted By: wraggster

Stealth has hardly become a forgotten shade in the gaming spectrum, but it's hard to think of many new games that are dedicated to it. Instead of being the leading light, as it was at the heights of the Thief and Metal Gear series, today stealth is more frequently just an element - from a choice in Deus Ex: Human Revolution to a pastime in Skyrim.
But what is stealth good for? Sneaky Bastards, a new blog dedicated to the form, lists why dedicated stealth games are great, from the way they encourage you to explore their environments to the way they get you to play with and understand their AI.
"Sometimes 'intelligence' seems like the wrong word to describe the cognitive faculties of guards in stealth games. Hey, what's that over there? Hmm, must've been a skunk. Walking on its hind legs. Wearing night vision goggles. But this artificial stupidity is nonetheless part of a coherent system of perception and response that pits the player against the capabilities of his enemies in a way that is becoming ever rarer. The fact that we notice it at all is an indication of its importance."
But while stealth is undeniably fun, is the choice that modern games give you to break out the hardware when you want to ultimately more rewarding?
--
Relatedly, here's Hideo Kojima's design document for Metal Gear Solid 2.
"Instead of proceeding on to MGS2, as one might expect, we are making MGS3. The question in peoples' minds, 'Why is it 3 and not 2?' will have a big impact."
Also, the three IIIs would symbolise Manhattan's tallest skyscrapers, fitting for the game's setting, if not, apparently, Konami's marketing department.

http://www.edge-online.com/news/out-...-stealth-games

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Online FPS sets new world record with 999 simultaneous players

February 1st, 2012, 21:53 Posted By: wraggster

Swedish non-profit technology organisation MuchDifferent has set a new world record for simultaneous online players, hosting 999 combatants in its browser based FPS Man Vs Machine.
Planetside previously held the record, with 600 players. The Man Vs Machine session lasted two hours and saw players divided into the two titular teams. Watch the video below for a taste of what it's like to face a 500-strong opposition.
In a blog post on MuchDifferent's site, CEO Christian Lönnholm admits that initial balancing was off, leading to the human team decimating their mechanical adversaries at first.
"After the first half hour, the score was overwhelmingly in favor for Team Man," he writes. "We did some adjustments to the gameplay balancing but it was not until the end of the two hour session that Team Machine had turned the tides and now the roles were reversed and Team Man was not even able to leave the spawning area.
"Getting a game balanced is hard and our guesswork proved to be quite off the mark. In the end, I think most people had an enjoyable experience of the sheer massiveness of it all and having the game run smoothly helped with that."
Guiness World Records subsequently validated the attempt, and MuchDifferent is now in the process of refining the underlying tech for use in other online games.

http://www.edge-online.com/news/onli...aneous-players

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